ASU falls to Georgia on final play

ATHENS, Ga. - Arizona State earned respect on a rainy night in Georgia but ultimately not a much longed-for signature victory.

No. 21 Georgia (3-1) escaped with a 20-17 win at drenched Sanford Stadium because wide receiver A.J. Green blocked a 37-yard ASU field goal with 4:31 remaining, then caught a 36-yard pass to set up a game-winning 37-yard field goal on the final play.

ASU (2-1) rallied from a 14-3 halftime deficit to lead 17-14 in its first appearance in a Southeastern Conference stadium but could not close out the Bulldogs, who won 27-10 last year in Tempe.

"Of all the games I've been involved in college football, this could be one of the hardest I've ever had to take," ASU coach Dennis Erickson said. "The biggest difference is they made a catch at the end of the game, and we didn't."

Green finished with eight catches for 153 yards and a touchdown in addition to blocking the kick of true freshman Bobby Wenzig, in his second game as a replacement for injured Groza Award winner Thomas Weber. His statistics were almost identical to those against ASU in the first meeting: eight catches, 159 yards, one touchdown.

Blair Walsh made the winning kick, his ninth in as many field-goal tries this season, after Green reeled in a third-and-6 throw from quarterback Joe Cox while working against cornerback Pierre Singfield.

"That was a great play," said Cox, 17 of 31 for 242 yards. "We knew we had to make the play. Their defense was pressed up on him and going one-on-one. He is special, and he makes plays."

Walsh made a 21-yard field goal after an ASU goal-line stand to make the score 17-17 with 14:53 remaining.

On the next possession, ASU went 17 yards backward from its 20 before punting.

The Bulldogs, starting from their 48-yard line, advanced to the ASU 37 on a pass interference penalty by safety Jarrell Holman vs. Green. They lost ground on a holding penalty before Cox completed a 19-yard pass to Green.

On fourth and 1, ASU linebacker Vontaze Burfict pushed an official while charging the line of scrimmage without penalty. Fullback Fred Munzenmaier then was stoned in the middle with ASU taking over on downs.

The Sun Devils failed to get a first down then held Georgia without a first down, getting the ball back on the Bulldogs 49-yard line after the exchange of punts. Receivers Kerry Taylor and Kyle Williams dropped passes, forcing another ASU punt that reached the end zone.

On Georgia's first play, Cox badly overthrew his target and found Holman, who made his second interception and returned to the Bulldogs' 20-yard line. But Green got a hand on Wenzig's kick.

ASU forced a fumble by tailback Caleb King on Georgia's opening possession of the second half with Holman recovering at the Bulldogs' 37-yard line.

Quarterback Danny Sullivan threw a screen pass for 10 yards to tailback Dimitri Nance, who also caught a 6-yard swing pass for the first receiving touchdown of the senior's career. That cut the Georgia's lead to 14-10 with 6:39 left in the third quarter.

Nance tied his career high with 92 yards rushing. He had 69 of those in the first half for half of ASU's total offense to that point.

Georgia, which came into the game ranked No. 116 nationally in turnover margin, coughed up another turnover on its next possession. On third and 8, Cox's overthrow was intercepted by Holman, who weaved his way 47 yards into the end zone. It was the senior's first career interception and touchdown, giving ASU its only lead 17-14 at the 5:25 mark.

The Bulldogs had first and goal at the ASU 1-yard line late in the third quarter but lost three yards on two runs. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Cox lofted a 4-yard pass to Green working against Singfield. The official ruled Green out of bounds on a close call that was not overturned on video review, and Georgia kicked the tying field goal.

All the first-half scoring came in the first quarter. Georgia took a 14-3 lead with help from ASU penalties.

A late pass interference call on safety Ryan McFoy on an apparent third-and-8 incompletion kept Georgia's second drive alive at its 44-yard line. On the next play, Green made a catch against cornerback Omar Bolden, then eluded safety Holman to complete a 56-yard touchdown for a 7-0 lead.

ASU responded with its only score of the half, a 43-yard field goal by Wenzig.

Georgia faced third and 3 at the ASU 28 on its next drive when cornerback Terell Carr interfered with tight end Orson Charles, and that led to a 2-yard Munzenmaier touchdown for a 14-3 Bulldogs lead.

Report

Key player

Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green reprised his 2008 success against ASU with eight catches for 153 yards and a touchdown, plus he blocked a 37-yard field goal that might have won the game for the Sun Devils. His 36-yard grab set up the Bulldogs' winning field goal.

Key moment

With first down at the Georgia 20 after an interception, ASU lost a yard on three plays while seemingly content to try a field goal in a tie game with fewer than five minutes remaining. But Green blocked true freshman kicker Bobby Wenzig's attempt, and the Bulldogs had enough time to drive for a game-winning kick.

Key number

74: YardsASU was assessed in eight penalties, including some tight pass interference calls that helped Georgia to a 14-3 first-quarter lead. This came after 122 penalty yards a week earlier.

Blair Walsh #57 of the Georgia Bulldogs celebrates with Drew Butler #13 after kicking the game winning field goal against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sanford Stadium on September 26, 2009 in Athens, Georgia.